Six civil servants from the Ministry of Defence who were kidnapped in Kogi State while travelling to Abuja from Lagos to write their promotion examinations in 2025 have been granted automatic promotion.

Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja.

While noting that the abduction was a regrettable occurrence, Olaopa commiserated with the victims on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), his commissioners, and the entire body of civil servants in Nigeria.

“The commission, in giving due consideration to the trauma that the victims went through, hereby, on compassionate grounds, grant automatic promotion to the six candidates to their next grade level as Education Officers in the Ministry of Defence,” he said.

To avert further occurrences, Olaopa said the commission was committed to leveraging the full weight of technology to implement a more decentralised process that would enable candidates to take their promotion examinations without travelling to Abuja.

He spoke at a “Recognition Dinner” in honour of newly promoted directors in the Federal Service, organised by the HCSF, Mrs Esther  Walson-Jack.

The FCSC boss commended her for the initiative and her other achievements in a short time since her appointment.

Olaopa said one would have hoped that she would have more time beyond 2026 to build on and expand o these reform initiatives.

According to Olaopa, the new directors are unique as they “are the guinea pigs of the commission in managing the transition from the analogue pen and paper written exam method to computer-based tests (CBT), which we are proud to celebrate with nearly 100 per cent success.”